The Wolf 313 



consort in pairs or small detached bands, and pack tempo- 

 rarily and rarely. 



Captain James Forsyth ("Highlands of Central India"), 

 speaking of Cants pallipes, an animal whose specific iden- 

 tity with the common form Sir Walter Elliot and Horsfield 

 deny, while Blyth and Jerdon very properly insist upon it, 

 remarks that it is a relatively small and slender beast with 

 comparatively delicate teeth. He gives a narrative of his 

 personal experience which is utterly subversive of many 

 sweeping assertions which have been made upon the sub- 

 ject of their habits and temper. 



In the provinces referred to, wolves are very numerous, 

 and are " a plain-loving species." They " unite in parties 

 of five or six to hunt," and so far as his observations go, 

 more than these have not been seen together. " Most 

 generally they are found singly or in couples." The 

 domestic animals upon which these chiefly prey are dogs 

 and goats. " They are the deadly foes of the former, and 

 will stand outside of a village or travellers' camp, and 

 howl until some inexperienced cur sallies forth to reply, 

 when the lot of that cur will probably be to return no 

 more. . . . 



" The loss of human life from these hideous brutes has 

 recently been ascertained to be so great, that a heavy 

 reward is now offered for their destruction. Though not 

 generally venturing beyond children ... yet when con- 

 firmed in the habit of man-eating, they do not hesitate to 

 attack, at an advantage, full-grown women, and even adult 

 men. A good many instances occurred during the con- 

 struction of the railway through the low jungles of Jiib- 



